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Santa Monica Professional Building
710 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, California
City Landmark Assessment Report
Evaluation Report
Building Permit History
City Directory Research
Photographs
Tax Assessor Map
Sanborn Maps
Prepared for:
City of Santa Monica
Planning Division
Prepared by:
PCR Services Corporation
Santa Monica, California
February, 2005
Santa Monica Professional Building
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City of Santa Monica
APN: 4291-007-019
City Landmark Assessment and Evaluation
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Description of site or structure, note any major alterations and dates of alterations
The subject property is situated on the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street
on Lots W and X of Block 117 of the Town of Santa Monica tract in the City of Santa
Monica. The square-shaped lot size is approximately 100 feet by 100 feet. The property
consists of a large, six-story commercial building configured in a “Y”-shaped plan atop a first
story base. The building’s main entrance faces north with ground floor retail entrances along
the primary north and west elevations. The subject property is bordered on the east by a
one-story brick commercial building and on the south by a paved alley and large parking lot.
The subject property is located on the northeast corner of the Central Business District
where Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street meet.
The Santa Monica Professional Building was previously identified and evaluated in the City’s
Historic Resources Inventory (1983) and given a National Register 4 rating code indicating
that it might become eligible for National Register listing pending further research. The
City’s Historic Resources Inventory Update of historic structures affected by the Northridge
Earthquake (1995) further refined the subject property’s status as 4S2, which reaffirmed the
building’s potential National Register eligibility pending additional historical or architectural
research. Most recently, the City’s Historic Resources Inventory Update of the Central
Business District and The Third Street Promenade (1998) concluded that the subject
property appears eligible for separate listing in the National Register at the local level of
significance and was given a status code of 3S.
Description. Erected in 1928 of steel and concrete construction, the six-story Santa Monica
Professional Building features an unusual plan embellished by Spanish Colonial Revival style
decorative detailing. The overall plan of the 40,638 square foot building is “Y”-shaped with
three tall wings radiating from the center of the first story base that is square in plan. Retail
uses historically and currently occupy the ground floor while upper stories accommodate
numerous professional offices. The upper stories are punctuated by elongated multi-pane
steel casement windows. Atop the roof is a recessed penthouse with each of its three
radiating wings distinguished by crenellated parapets. A low-pitched, hipped roof (originally
covered with red clay tiles) surrounds the penthouse between each wing.
Primary north and west ground floor elevations each feature six bays divided by pilasters that
are edged by spiraled moldings and topped by crown-like capitals. An additional, rounded
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bay faces the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and 7 Street. Glazed storefronts and store
entrances are topped by rectangular transom windows on the primary elevations. While
several of the stores still retain their original recessed entrances flanked by canted display
windows, many of the original transoms are obscured by non-original awnings. Metal
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storefront mullions and entrance door frames have been replaced with aluminum frames.
The building’s deeply recessed primary entrance is situated near the center of the Wilshire
Boulevard-facing north elevation and is framed by elaborate Plateresque detailing. Above the
entrance, the name “SANTA MONICA PROFESSIONAL BLDG.” in bronze lettering is
rendered in a period typeface. The narrow bay situated on the south end of the west
elevation features a large Moorish screen above the storefront.
Numerous small arches surrounding the north and west elevations above the glazed ground
floor bays form a decorative cornice topped by a parapet with clay tile coping. Exterior
surfaces on the second through fifth floors of all elevations are sheathed in stucco with
grooves suggestive of cut stone. In contrast to the relative plainness of the second through
fifth floor elevations, a wide stringcourse, frieze, and spandrels featuring Plateresque
decoration in relief highlights fifth floor fenestration. Additionally, the sixth story’s north,
west, and east elevations are richly embellished with Plateresque-inspired decorative relief.
The end of the building’s south wing is unlike the ends of the other wings in its
unembellished façade punctuated by recessed fire escapes and a small ground floor driveway
entrance. What was previously the building’s rear, southeast-facing porte cochere entrance
has become a raised patio with three entrances flanked by sidelights and transoms with
aluminum mullions.
Building Permits. No original building permits for the property are on file with the City;
however, according to tax assessor records and newspaper articles published in the Los Angeles
Times, the building was erected in 1928 with a ceremonial opening in 1929. The same
articles note that the building, to be constructed by the Luther T. Mayo Company of Los
Angeles, cost approximately $750,000. Arthur E. Harvey was listed as the subject property’s
Los Angeles-based architect. Sanborn maps dated 1918 indicate that the Santa Monica
Professional Building located at 710 Wilshire Boulevard (the subject property) was built on
vacant land with a number of one-story dwellings situated on the adjacent east and south
parcels.
Upon visual inspection and a review of building permits it appears that few exterior
alterations have been made to the subject property since its construction in 1928 although
there have been numerous interior modifications made to it over the years. The red clay tiles
that originally capped the sixth floor roof have been replaced with composition tiles.
Exterior alterations to the penthouse wings include the removal of large finials that topped
the crenellated parapets and the elimination of Moorish grilles that once fronted the
penthouse windows. Ground floor alterations include the replacement of the original
storefront metal mullions and entrance frames with aluminum frames, the installation of
canvas awnings that obscure the original transoms, and the alteration of the ground floor
elevations that open onto the rear patio area. Additionally, a narrow driveway with an
entrance located on the south end of the west elevation that previously led to the rear porte
cochere has been enclosed to create additional commercial space. As noted, the porte
cochere element has been removed and replaced by an open patio. It appears that the many
of the building’s exterior modifications were associated with seismic repairs, particularly the
removal of sixth floor clay roof tiles and finials. Nonetheless, the building’s overall integrity
of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association appears to be
high.
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Available building permits note the following modifications to the building:
1929
Alteration (not described). $200.
1930
Alteration (not described). $200.
1935
Interior alterations. $250. $300. $200.
1936
Interior alterations. $300. $950.
1938 Interior alterations. $1,500. $680.
1944
Roofing repair. $85.
1950 Alterations to interior marble stairs and marble wainscoting. $16,000.
1958
Projecting sign over existing entrance to building. $140.
1967
Interior alterations. $739.
1971
Repair of earthquake damage to masonry grille, $200. Earthquake repairs to
stairway, $400. Projecting plexiglass sign over existing entrance to building, $460.
1972
Interior alterations. $3,400.
1994
Temporary shoring for earthquake damage, $15,000. Removal of loose marble,
demolition and repair of non-bearing interior walls (as needed), replacement of glass
and entryways (front and rear) as existed prior to earthquake, $10,000. Caissons and
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new shear walls (no changes to 7 Street and Wilshire elevations), $80,000.
1995
Interior alterations. $2,700.
Statement of Architectural Significance
The Santa Monica Professional Building located at 710 Wilshire Boulevard is an excellent
example of the Plateresque variant of the Spanish Colonial Revival style as interpreted for a
combination retail and office building of the period. The beginnings of this style date to
1915, when it was introduced at the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. The
Spanish Colonial Revival style was widely used throughout Southern California for both
commercial and residential properties. A characteristic feature of the style is the ornate lowrelief carvings highlighting arches, columns, window surrounds, cornices, and parapets.
Features that also typify the style include stuccoed exterior walls; low-pitched, multi-level tile
roofs; narrow casement windows; arched door openings; iron railings and window grilles;
and corbeled balconies. The facades of large buildings often are enriched with curvilinear
and decorated parapets, cornice window heads, and a symbolic bell tower. A less common
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variant of the style, called Plateresque, is based on the richly decorative style of Spanish
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Renaissance architecture of the 16 century. Plateresque decorative elements are considered
to resemble the delicate, intricate work of silversmiths that sometimes appear in Spanish
Colonial Revival style buildings, particularly surrounding entrances and fenestration. The
subject property displays key signature features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style in its
architectural design and composition, stucco exterior finish, red clay tile roof (since
removed), narrow casement windows, and multiple projecting decorative arches that top
ground floor transoms. However, the subject property is especially noteworthy for its
elaborate Plateresque ornamentation in relief, particularly surrounding the main entrance,
sixth floor elevations, and the form and architectural details of the penthouse wings.
Prior to the widespread post-World War II use of fluorescent lighting and artificial systems
for heating and cooling, large commercial buildings that occupied lots greater than 25 by
100 feet in size required that upper stories be configured for access to light and air. While
the first two or three floors typically occupied the entire lot, upper stories were often
designed in “L,” “I,” “E,” “T,” “H,” or a squared “U,” “O,” or “B” forms. The “L” form, for
instance, was often used for narrow corner properties while the “U,” “H,” or “E” for wider
corner sites. The subject property’s “Y”-shaped form is especially unusual as a design for the
upper floors of a commercial building from the 1920s.
The Santa Monica Professional Building is an excellent example of the Spanish Colonial
Revival style with Plateresque influences. It is a prominent structure, rising above its
neighbors. Its verticality is extended through the narrowness of the three wings and use of
elongated casement windows. In particular, its Plateresque decorative sixth floor, penthouse,
and main entrance elements differentiate the building from typical Spanish Colonial Revival
style buildings of the period. As such, the Santa Monica Professional Building stands out
within the Central Business District.
Statement of Historical Importance
Santa Monica. In 1875, the original townsite of Santa Monica was surveyed, including all
the land extending from Colorado Street on the south to Montana on the north, and from
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26 Street on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west. Between 1893 and the 1920s, the
community operated as a tourist attraction, visited by mostly wealthy patrons. Those areas
just outside of the incorporated city limits were semi-rural in setting and were populated
with scattered residences. After the advent of the automobile in the 1920s, Santa Monica
experienced a significant building boom, with homes being constructed in the tracts north of
Montana and east of Seventh Street for year-round residents. Commercial buildings,
primarily one- or two-story in height, initially concentrated along 2nd and 3rd Streets between
Colorado Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard also began to expand eastward at this time.
Central Business District. The subject property is located on the corner of 7th Street and
Wilshire Boulevard, which forms the northeast boundary of the City of Santa Monica’s
Central Business District. This commercial area is roughly bounded by Wilshire Boulevard
to the north, 2nd Street to the west, Colorado Avenue/Santa Monica Freeway to the south,
and 4th Street (south of Santa Monica Boulevard) and 7th Street (north of Santa Monica
Boulevard) to the east. Most buildings are commercial in function, with a small scattering of
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residential properties and churches. The Central Business District developed early in the
history of Santa Monica as the location of commercial businesses catering to both local
residents and the City’s many visitors. Second Street, the oldest commercial street in Santa
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Monica, was supplanted by 3 Street as the City’s principal commercial street in the early
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twentieth century. A three-block stretch of 3 Street was eventually closed to vehicular
traffic and became a pedestrian shopping mall in 1965. Fourth Street between Wilshire
Boulevard and Colorado Avenue evolved from a primarily residential neighborhood at the
turn-of-the-century to a predominantly commercial area by the early 1920s. The impetus
for this change occurred as a result of the continuing resident and tourist population growth
of the City overall and their demand for consumer goods.
Buildings of each period of development, from 1875 through to the present day, stand in the
area, their styling and historic associations providing a physical document of the commercial
history of the city.1 The most prevalent styles are those associated with the 1920s and 1930s,
which included Spanish Colonial, Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Classically influenced
vernacular structures. Buildings located within the Central Business District range from one
to twelve stories in height and are clad in a variety of materials, including stucco, brick, and
concrete.
Sanborn maps from 1918 show that the two parcels that would eventually form the subject
property’s corner location were vacant, although a scattering of one-story dwellings were
situated on the adjacent east and south parcels. Similarly, in 1918, the blocks east of 4th
Street north and south of Wilshire Boulevard were primarily residential in character. A large
city park located on the north side of Wilshire Boulevard between 7th and 8th Streets (Lincoln
Boulevard) across from the subject property in 1918 remains a park today (Christine
Emerson Reed Park).
In a September 25, 1927 article in the Los Angeles Times, developer/builder Luther T. Mayo
announced that a six-story medical and dental professional building would be constructed at
the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street (the subject property). The article
emphasized that the building would be “owned under a cooperative system by which the
tenant-owner may obtain ownership of his suite and have a voice in the management of the
structure.” However, following the building’s 1929 opening and the outset of the Great
Depression, the cooperative tenant-owner arrangement apparently was discarded in favor of
traditional corporate ownership. Luther T. Mayo remained president and principal owner of
the Santa Monica Professional Building, Inc. throughout the 1930s.
At the time of its construction the Santa Monica Professional Building heralded the
development of the west end of Wilshire Boulevard as a major commercial corridor of multistory buildings. The April 7, 1929 edition of the Los Angeles Times noted, “Wilshire
Boulevard, from downtown Los Angeles to the sea at Santa Monica, is ‘going up’ and one of
the newest examples of modern business buildings at the Santa Monica end of the great
artery is found in the $750,000 Santa Monica professional building.” In fulfilling Santa
Monica’s destiny as the westernmost terminus of regional commerce, another conspicuous
high rise commercial/office building was erected in the city in 1930. The Bay Cities
(Guaranty) Building, an Art Deco style building completed at the outset of the Great
1
Santa Monica Historic Resources Inventory, 1985-1986: Final Report, p.28.
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Depression, was, at 12-stories, the city’s first “skyscraper” and remained the tallest building
in the community for 40 years. While the Depression and World War II interrupted the
fulfillment of Santa Monica’s destiny as a high rise commercial center, the subject property
was an early example of that vision.
The 1918 and the 1950 paste-up Sanborn maps document the evolution of development
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patterns from residential to commercial that occurred west of 8 Street (Lincoln Boulevard)
along Wilshire Boulevard during that time period. Over the years, residential properties that
once lined Wilshire Boulevard were replaced by automobile service stations, restaurants,
stores, offices, baths, and a bowling alley. Conversely, single-family and multi-family
residential properties continued to occupy many of the parcels along the numbered streets
south of Wilshire Boulevard in the northeast quarter of the Central Business District up
through the late 1940s. Today, most of the dwellings that were located within the Central
Business District are gone, replaced by a variety of commercial buildings.
City Directories indicate that from 1930 through the 1950s the upper story offices of the
Santa Monica Professional Building were occupied primarily by physicians and dentists. The
ground floor commercial storefronts, however, housed a wide variety of tenants through the
years (see City Directory Research). During the 1930s, some of the building’s ground floor
establishments included a General Electric Refrigerator distributor, Chapman’s Ice Cream
Company, a pharmacy, a dry cleaner, a real estate office, a barber, and a millinery shop.
Storefront businesses that continued into the 1940s included the H.H. Brainerd Refrigerator
and Appliance store and Chapman’s Ice Cream Company. Following World War II through
to the early 1960s, the subject property’s storefront tenants included Abbey Rents Hospital
Supplies, Superior Optical Company, a drug store, an escrow office, and a physicians’
telephone exchange.
The medical professionals who previously occupied the upper floors of the Santa Monica
Professional Building have come and gone over the years. However, the building continues
to operate as a commercial/retail building that includes a variety of tenants, including
medical professionals.
Person(s) of Historical Importance
Current research did not uncover evidence suggesting that Luther T. Mayo, the subject
property’s owner/builder, was a prominent member of his profession. The evidence
surrounding architect Arthur E. Harvey (1884-1971), a Los Angeles-based architect, suggests
that he was proficient in adapting period revival and Art Deco architectural styles to various
building types in the years between the two World Wars. In addition to the subject
property, some of the better-known extant buildings that Harvey designed include the
French Norman style Chateau Elysee apartment/hotel (5930 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood.
1929), the Art Deco style American Storage Company tower (3639 Beverly Boulevard, Silver
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Lake, 1928-29), the Art Deco style Selig Retail Store (3 Street at Western Avenue,
MacArthur Park, 1931), and numerous one- and two-story period revival style apartment
buildings and residences. In Santa Monica, Harvey was responsible for the Spanish Colonial
Revival-inspired Embassy Apartment house (1001 3rd Street, 1927). While not as prolific as
other contemporary architects designing period revival or Art Deco-style buildings in
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Southern California such as John Byers, Myron Hunt, Parkinson and Parkinson, Walker and
Eisen, A.C. Martin and Associates, and Morgan, Walls and Clements, the buildings of
Arthur E. Harvey are comparable in overall quality to their work. Nonetheless, Arthur E.
Harvey’s reputation, like other AIA members who maintained solid, respectable Southern
California practices in the years between the World Wars, never rose significantly above
those of his peers.
Statement of other significance
The property does appear to meet criteria for high aesthetic or artistic value as it is defined in
the National Register Bulletin: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. The
property articulates a particular concept of design, the Spanish Colonial Revival Style with
Plateresque influences, in its overall form and architectural elements. While the subject
property is typical of the Spanish Colonial Revival style in its architectural design and
composition, the elaborate ornamentation in relief, particularly surrounding the main
entrance, sixth floor elevations, and the form and decorative details of the penthouse wings
fully epitomizes the design principles of the Plateresque variant of the style.
Is the structure representative of a style in the City that is no longer prevalent?
While the Spanish Colonial Revival style is well represented throughout the City,
particularly in single-family residences and smaller commercial buildings, this style is less
prevalent in the multi-story office building variant. Additionally, there appear to be few
architectural examples of buildings strongly influenced by the Plateresque variant of the
Spanish Colonial Revival style extant in the City of Santa Monica.
Does the structure contribute to a potential historic district?
The subject property is located within the boundaries of the Central Business District, a
potential historic district. The district consists of approximately 100 contributing structures,
including the subject property, with boundaries roughly defined by Wilshire Boulevard to
the north, 2nd Street to the west, Colorado Avenue/Santa Monica Freeway to the south, and
4th Street (south of Santa Monica Boulevard) and 7th Street (north of Santa Monica
Boulevard) to the east. The Santa Monica Professional Building is an important contributor
to the Central Business District as a key example of a prominent multi-story commercial
building constructed on Wilshire Boulevard that marked the eastern expansion of the
business district in the late 1920s.
CONCLUSION
In summary, based on current research and the above assessment, the property located at 710
Wilshire Boulevard appears to meet many of the City of Santa Monica’s Landmark Criteria. The
property was evaluated according to statutory criteria as follows:
Landmark Criteria:
9.36.100(a)(1) It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic,
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political or architectural history of the City.
The subject property appears to satisfy this criterion. The Santa Monica Professional
Building symbolizes the economic and commercial development and aspirations of the City
during the 1920s in its six-story height and prominence on Wilshire Boulevard. It was
constructed in response to the economic prosperity of the 1920s and expanded the
boundaries of the Central Business District further eastward at the time. Additionally, the
high quality and costliness of the building’s construction and superb level of architectural
detail manifests the growing status of Santa Monica as a commercial center away from
downtown Los Angeles during this time period.
9.36.100(a)(2) It has aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy interest or value.
The subject property is aesthetically pleasing in its siting, decorative details, and form. Given
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its monumental presence situated at the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and 7
Street, the building manifests a soaring verticality that belies its six-story height. The
building’s unusual “Y”-shaped plan with its articulated wings recessed above a projecting
ground floor base give the structure added prominence and stature. Additionally, the
judicious application of Plateresque ornamentation to the top story elevations draws the eye
upward to the building’s crown. As previously described, the Santa Monica Professional
Building so fully articulates the key design elements associated with Plateresque variant of the
Spanish Colonial Revival style that it expresses an aesthetic ideal of the style. Therefore, as
an excellent local example of the style as applied to a commercial/office structure, the subject
property possesses sufficient aesthetic and artistic value necessary for designation under this
criterion.
9.36.100(a)(3) It is identified with historic personages or with important events in local, state or
national history.
Current research did not reveal that the property at 710 Wilshire Boulevard is associated
with any historic personages or with important events in local, state, or national history.
Therefore, the subject property does not appear eligible for local landmark designation under
this criterion.
9.36.100(a)(4) It embodies distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study of a period,
style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or
rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to such a study.
The property appears to satisfy this criterion. The Santa Monica Professional Building is an
excellent example of a multi-story commercial/office building influenced by the Plateresque
variant of the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style. The building embodies a number
of distinguishing architectural characteristics of the Plateresque stylistic variant including
intricate ornamentation in relief, particularly surrounding the main entrance, sixth floor
elevations, and the form and architectural details of the penthouse wings. Few examples of a
high rise Spanish Colonial Revival style commercial/office building with Plateresque
influences exists in the City of Santa Monica. Therefore, the subject property is valuable to a
study of the architectural history of the late 1920s and the Plateresque variant of the Spanish
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Colonial Revival idiom.
9.36.100(a)(5) It is a significant or a representative example of the work or product of a notable
builder, designer or architect.
Although architect Arthur E. Harvey was responsible for designing several well-received
buildings in the Los Angeles region, including the Embassy Apartment building and the
subject property, he does not appear to have achieved a level of recognition above that of his
peers to be considered a notable architect. For the purposes of this assessment, Harvey is not
considered a notable builder, designer, or architect because of the limited size, range, and
scale of his architectural portfolio here in Santa Monica and elsewhere. Additionally,
builder Luther T. Mayo was not identified through research as being a notable member of
his profession. Therefore, the subject property does not appear eligible for local landmark
designation under this criterion.
9.36.100(a)(6) It has a unique location, a singular physical characteristic, or is an established and
familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community or the City.
The subject property is uniquely located on the prominent southeast corner of Wilshire
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Boulevard and 7 Street. Wilshire Boulevard, in particular, is a highly traveled thoroughfare
in the City’s Central Business District. Due to its siting amongst buildings of substantially
lower scale, the Santa Monica Professional Building is visible by pedestrians and automobiles
approaching the site from virtually every direction both historically and today. Additionally,
the building has been present at this location since its construction in 1928, visually
representing the eastern terminus of the Central Business District. Therefore, as an
established and familiar visual feature of the City that continues to maintain a strong
physical presence at its corner location, the subject property appears eligible for local
landmark designation under this criterion.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
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CITY DIRECTORY RESEARCH
Santa Monica Professional Building: 710 Wilshire Boulevard
Year
1930-1931
1933
Entry
Wilshire Boulevard
702: The George Belsey Company, Ltd. General Electric Refrigerator Divisional
Distributor
706: Kathleen Guest nurses registry
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Dostal, R.J., Physician
Smith, R.J., Dental Laboratory
Rooms:
201 Hopkirk, C.C. X-Ray Laboratory
204 Nutall, J.P., Physician
206 Kasper, S.P., Dentist
Theriault, W.V., Dentist
301 Madsen, L.J., Physician
309 Lee, F.J., Physician
310 Pruden, Leo, Dentist
Richmond, C.H., dentist
White, A.J., Dentist
313 January, J.W., Orthodontist
315 Otis, M.N., Physician
318 Morgan, F.R., Physician
401 Mahood, W.R., Physician
Smiley, A.C., Physician
Van Sickle, J.R.,Physician
405 Mildenstein, Grace, Clinical Library
409 Case, L.H., Physican
Lindsey, C.M., Dentist
Symington, L.G., dentist
Symington ,W.H., Dentist
415 Sands, R.L., Physician
Schreiber, L.W., Physician
501 Burroughs, P.R., Physician
Cummins ,T.J., Physician
Harding, G.F., Physician
Morrison, R.J., Physician
Pruden, R.L., Dentist
Smith, B.H., Physician
518 Fogel, L.J., Exodontist
712: Professional Prescription Pharmacy
714: Elliott’s Dry Cleaning Service
716: Chapman’s Ice Cream Company
7th Street
1205: Vacant
1207: Vacant
Wilshire Boulevard
702: The George Belsey Company, Ltd. General Electric Refrigerator Divisional
Distributor
706: Downey Frank Restaurant
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
English American Underwriters
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 10
Year
1933 (continued)
1936
Entry
Rooms:
201 Hopkirk, C.C., X Ray Lab
204 Nuttall, J.P., Physician
205 Theriault, W.V., Dentist
206 Kasper, S.T., Dentist
Theriault, W.V., Dentist
301 Madsen, L.J., Physician
309 Lee, F.J., Physician
310 Pruden, Leo, Dentist
Richmond, C.H., dentist
White, A.J., Dentist
313 January, J.W., Orthodontist
315 Otis, N.M., Physician
Smiley, A.C., Physician
Van Sickle, J.R., Physician
405 Meldenstein, Grace
409 Lindsey, C.M., Dentist
Symington, L.G., Dentist
Symington, W.H.L., Dentist
415 Sands, R.L., Physician
Schreiber, L.W., Physician
Vaughn, J.D., Physician
419 Smith ,R. J., Dental Laboratory
501 Burroughs, P.R., Physician
Cummins, T.J., Physician
Harding, G.F., Physician
Mahoney, L.E., Physician
Morrison, R.J., Physician
Pruden, R.L., dentist
Smith, B.H., Physician
511 Langdon, E.E., Physician
Fogel, L.J., Dentist
712: Professional Prescription Pharmacy
Miller A-H drugs
714: Vacant
716: Chapman’s Ice Cream Company
7th Street
1205: Vacant
1207: Vacant
Wilshire Boulevard
702: Brainerd, H.H Electrical Appliances
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Ebben, H.L., Barber
Theriault, W.V., Dentist
Rooms:
201 Hopkirk, C.C., X-ray Laboratory
204 Nuttall, J.P., Physician
206 Smith, B.H., Physician
218 Dostal, R.J., Physician
Connecticut Fire Insurance Co
Detroit Fire & Marine Ins. Co
English-American Underwriters
New York Plate & Glass Co
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City Landmark Assessment Report
page 11
Year
Entry
1936 (continued)
Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corp.
301 Desmond, M.A., Physician
Gruber, F.G., Physician
Madsen, L.J., Physician
Row, C.F., Physician
309 Lee, F.J., Physician
310 Richmond, C.H., Dentist
White, A.J., Dentist
313 January, J.W., Dentist
Otis, N.M., Physician
401 Cummins, T.J, Physician
Eschelman, R.C., Dentist
Smiley, A.C. Physician
Van Sickle, J.R., Physician
405 Meldenstein, Grace
Clinical Laboratory
409 Arkush, A.S., Physician
Symington, L.G., Dentist
Symington ,W.H.L., Dentist
415 Pruden, Leo, Dentist
Sands, R.L., Physician
Vaughn, J.D., Physician
419 Smith, R.J., Dental Laboratory
501 Burroughs, P.R., Physician
Harding, G.F., Physician
Mahoney, L.E., Physician
Morrison, R.J., Physician
Pruden, R.L., Dentist
Snow, R.H., Physician
507 Bross, A.A., Dentist
Bross, Rachel B., Physician
511 Langdon, E.E., Physician
513 Nichols, F.C., Dermatologist
Reed, E.N., Physician
519 Fogel, L.J., Dentist
603 Prudential Insurance Co
7th Floor Matthews, B.A., Jeweler
712: Miller, A.H., Drugs
714: Brockett Sisters, Millinery and Dresses
716:
Chapman’s Ice Cream Company
7th Street
1205: Harshbarger, M.A. Mrs., Clothes Cleaner
1207: Bennett, W.W., Real Estate
Carlson, A.L., Real Estate
Carlson, Blanch M., Real Estate
1938
Wilshire Boulevard
702: Brainerd, H.H., Electrical Appliances
General Electric Refrigerators
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Rooms:
201 Lane, C.R., Physician
204 Nuttall, J.P., Physician
205 Theriault, W.V., Dentist
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 12
Year
1938 (continued)
Entry
206 Smith, B.H., Physician
210 Hopkins, C.C., Physician
212 Eanes, F.L., Dental Laboratory
213 January, J.W., Dentist
218 Dostal, R.J., Physician
301 Carter, R.V., Physician
Gruber, F.G., Physician
Madsen, L.J., Physician
Rowe, C.F., Physician
309 Lee, F.J., Physician
310 Richmond, C.H., Dentist
White, A.J., Dentist
315 Otis, N.M., Physician
401 Cummins, T.J., Physician
Eshelman, R.C., Dentist
Smiley, A.C., Physician
Stevens, W.L., Physician
405 Mildenstein, Grace P., Clinical Laboratory
409 Arkush, A.S., Physician
Symington, L.G., Dentist
Symington, W.H., Dentist
414 Desmond ,M.A., Physician
Pruden, Leo, Dentist
419 Smith, R.J., Dental Laboratory
501 Burroughs, P.R., Physician
Mahoney, L.E., Physician
Morrison, R.J., Physician
Pruden, R.L., Dentist
Snow ,R.H., Physician
509 McClellen, P.H., Physician
Samson, J.P., Physician
511 Kinney, J.G., Physician
Langdon, E.E., Physician
513 Nichols, F.C., Physician
Reed, E.N., Physician
519 Fogel, L.J., Dentist
601 Bergman, J.E., Physician
603 Prudential Ins. Co.
612 Saylin, Jos, Physician
615 Apt. H.O., Dentist712: Miller, A.H., Drugs
714: Huddleson , Chas., Real Estate
716: Chapman’s Ice Cream Company
7th Street
1205: Miller Cleaners
1207: Carlson ,Blanche, M., Real Estate
1940
Wilshire Boulevard
702: Brainard, H.H., Refrigerator Co.
706: Superior Optical Co.
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Rooms:
107 Ebben, H.L., Barber
201 Lane C R Physician
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 13
Year
1940 (continued)
1947-48
Entry
204
205
206
210
212
213
218
301
Nuttall, J.P., Physician
Theriault, W.V., Dentist
Smith B H Physician
Hopkirk, C.C., Physician
Eanes, F.L., Dental Laboratory
January, J.W., Dentist
Dostal, R.J., Physician
Gruber, F.G., Physician
Madsen, L.J., Physician
Row, C.F., Physician
309 Duge, J.F., Physician
Lee, F.J., Physician
310 Richmond ,C.H., Dentist
White, A.J., Dentist
315 Otis, N.M., Physician
316 Fogel, L.J., Dentist
401 Cummins, T.J., Dentist
Stevens ,W.L., Physician
405 Kosky, A.A., Clinical Laboratory
406 Eshelman, R.C., Dentist
409 Arkush, A.S., Physician
Symington, L.G., Dentist
Symington, W.H., Dentist
414 Desmond, M.A., Physician
Macmillan ,J.K., Physician
Pruden, Leo Dentist
Snow ,R.H., Physician
509 McClelland ,P.H., Physician
Sampson , J.P., Physician
511 Kinney ,J.G., Physician
Langdon, E.E., Physician
513 Hall, A.F., Jr., Physician
Leidig, L.R., Physician
Reed, E.N., Physician
601 Bergmann, J.E., Physician
603 Prudential Ins. Co.
612 Saylin, Jos, Physician
615 Apt, H.O., Dentist
618 E Mc Reynolds, R.T., Physician
712: Miller A H Drugs
714: Tweed, J.E., Restaurant
716: Chapmans Ice Cream Co.
7th Street
1205: Miller Cleaners
1207: Carlson, Blanche, M., Real Estate
Wilshire Boulevard
702: Abbey Rents Hospital Supplies
706: Superior Optical Co
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Telephone Answering Bureau
Rooms:
202 Lane, Clayton, Physician
204 Jones, K.P., Physician
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 14
Year
1947-48
(continued)
Entry
206 Theriault, W.V., Dentist
210 Hopkirk & Pindell, X-Ray Laboratory
213 January, J.W., Dentist
218 Dostal, R.J., Physician
301 Alexander ,H.B., Physician
Dixon, C.D., Physician
Gruber ,F.G., Physician
309 Kaiser, J.E., Physician
Smith ,B.H., Physician
310 Richmond, C.H., Dentist
White, A.J., Dentist
315 Williams, Geoffrey, Physician
316 Fogel, L.J., Dental Surgeon
401 Stevens, W.L., Physician
Weston, D.T., Physician
405 Kosky ,A.A., physician
406 Eshelman, R.C., Dentist
409 Arkush, A.S., Physician
Symington, L.G., Dentist
Symington, W.H., Dentist
412 Wentworth, K.L., Psychologist
Wiley, L.N., Psychologist
414 Burk., C E Physician
Desmond, M.A., Physician
Frankel, S.M., Dentist
Pruden, Leo, Dentist
419 Crehan, Jas, Lawyer
501 Mahoney, L.E., Physician
Morrison ,R.J., Physician
Ross, Cecilia, Physician
Siegfried, J.W., Dentist
Sive, E.B., Physician
509 Sampson, J.P., Physician
511 Langdon, E.E., Physician
Myers, R.B.S, Physician
513 Driscoll. E.T., Physician
Hall, A.F ,Physician
Reed, N.E. Physician
Wright, W. H., Physician
601 Bergmann, J. E., Physician
603 Prudential Ins. Co
612 Bradshaw, C.B., Dentist
Snow, R.H., Dentist
615 Apt., H.O., Dentist
618 Tistaert, L.C., Dentist
7th Floor Eanes, F.L., Dental Laboratory
712: Miller, A.H., Drugs
714: Tweed J.E., Restaurant
716: Chapman’s Ice Cream Company
7th Street
1205: Kirkpatricks Cleaners
1207: Santa Monica Escrow Co.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 15
Year
1954
Entry
Wilshire Boulevard
702: Issacoulin, H.H., Inc., Oriental Rugs
706: Santa Monica Escrow Office
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Rooms:
106 Kaiser, Joseph E., Physician
107 James Crehan,Lawyer
202 Lane Clayton, Physician
204 Jones,Kenneth P.Physician
206 Theriault,Wilfred V.,Dentist
210 Meilstrup, Drew B., Physician
213 January, John W., Dentist
218 Vacant
301 Bergmann, John E.
Harmon, Paul. E.
309 McReynolds, Roy T., Physician
310 Richmond, Chas H., Dentist
White, Albert J., Dentist
315 Williams, Geoffrey ,Physician
316 Vacant
401 Perry, Danl J., Physician
Stevens, W. Leslie, Physician
405 Kosky. Alf A., Physician
Laboratory of Clinical Pathology
409 Arkush, Albert S., Physician
Symington. Lee G., Dentist
412 deKiserre, Louis, Clinical Psychologist
414-17 Desmond, Micheal A., Physician
Pruden, Leo ,Dentist
419 Lipis, Rayann E., electrolysis
501 Mahoney, Louis E., Physician
Meath, Jos L., Physician
Siegfried, John W., Physician
Stahl, Phillip E. ,Physician
509 Hoffman, Geo M., Dentist
McDermott, Blaine, Dentist
510-11 Crawford, Alcenith V., Mrs., Physician
513 Goldman, Robert, Dentist
Weston, Daniel T., Physician
Zahn, Albert C., Physician
601 Vacant
603 Svoboda, Benjamin J., Surgeon
606 Steingart , Gilbert, Dentist
612 Snow, Rodney H. ,Physician
615-17 Herman. O., Dentist
618 Tistaert, Leslie C., Dentist
619 Vacant
710 deKiserre, Louis, Clinical Psychiatrist
Eanes, F.L., Dental Laboratory
712: Professional Pharmacy
714: Broken Drum, The, Jr.,. Restaurant
716: Physicians & Surgeons Exchange
Semon Employment Agency
Semon Sound Recording Laboratory
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 16
Year
1954 (continued)
Entry
Semon Nurses Registry
Telephone Answering Bureau
7th Street
1205: Not Listed
1207: Vacant
1961
Wilshire Boulevard
706: Crown Hearing Aid Centers Inc.
Tru-Life Portraits
710: Santa Monica Professional Building
Flight Inspection
District Office
West Coast Life Insurance
Crawford, A.
Bailey, Frank W.
Kosky, Alfred A., Physician
Babbitt, H.V.
Miller, Rose
Hoffman, G.M.
Jones, Kenneth P., Physician
White, Albert, J., Dentist
January, John W., Dentist
Pruden, Leo, Dentist
Eanes, F.L., Dental Laboratory
Steingart, Gilbert, Dentist
Peterson, Celon A.
Tistaert, L.C., Dentist
Weston, Daniel T., Physician
Greenbaum, Wilbert J.
Apt. H.O.
More, Rutherford D.
Meilstrup, D.B.
McReynolds, R.T., Physician
Mahoney, Louis E., Physician
Stellar, P.H.
Handgriff, Moritz
Occidental Life Insurance
712: Professional Prescription Pharmacy
Criterion Drug Store
714: Thelma’s Beauty Salon
716: Telephonic Research Institute
Telephone Answering Bureau
Phone Bureau Exchange
S M Window Cleaners
7th Street
1205: Not Listed
1207: Not Listed
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 17
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Basten, Fred E. Santa Monica Bay – The First 100 Years. Los Angeles: Douglas-West Publishers,
1974.
Basten, Fred E. Santa Monica Bay: Paradise By the Sea. Santa Monica: Hennessey + Ingalls, 2001.
City of Santa Monica. Existing Conditions Report, prepared by Historic Resources Group and PCR
Services Corporation, 2000.
City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Department. Historic Resources
Inventory Update, September 30, 1995: Final Report.
City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Department. Historic Resources
Inventory Update for the Central Business District and Third Street Promenade, April 12, 1998:
Final Report.
City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Department. Building Permits.
City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Department. Santa Monica Historic Resources Inventory,
1985-1986: Final Report.
Gebhard, David and Robert Winter. Architecture in Los Angeles. Salt Lake City, Utah: Peregrine
Smith Books, 1985.
Gebhard, David and Robert Winter. An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles. Salt Lake City,
Utah: Gibbs Smith Publishers, 2003.
Gleye, Paul. The Architecture of Los Angeles. Los Angeles: Rosebud Books, 1981.
Koyl, George S., ed. American Architects Directory: 1956. New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1955.
Los Angeles County Tax Assessor’s Information.
Los Angeles Public Library. On-line Database: California Index.
Los Angeles Times. September 25, 1927, p. E1.
Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1928, p. E3.
Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1928, p. E1.
Los Angeles Times. February 17, 1929, p. E1.
Los Angeles Times. April 7, 1929, p. E8.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 18
Los Angeles Times. January 25, 1931, p. E2.
Los Angeles Times. November 13, 1938, p. E1.
McAlester, Virginia & Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990.
National Park Service. National Register Bulletin: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for
Evaluation. Washington DC: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Interagency
Resources Division, 1990.
Polk’s City Directories, City of Santa Monica.
Robinson, B.A. The Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science). www.religioustolerance.org
Robinson, W.W. Santa Monica: A Calendar of Events in the Making of a City. California Title
Insurance and Trust Company, 1959.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, City of Santa Monica.
Santa Monica Public Library. On-line Historical and Image Archives.
Storrs, Les. Santa Monica, Portrait of a City, 1875-1975. Santa Monica: Santa Monica Bank, 1874.
Ward, Elva. Building A City: Life in Santa Monica From 1872. A Social Studies Resource Reader for
Third Grade. Santa Monica: Santa Monica Unified School District, 1962.
Warren, Charles S. ed. History of the Santa Monica Bay Region. Santa Monica: Cawston, 1934.
Warren, Charles S. ed. Santa Monica Blue Book. Santa Monica: Cawston, 1941.
Warren, Charles S. ed. Santa Monica Community Book. Santa Monica: Cawston, 1944.
Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since 1780: A Guide to the Styles.. Cambridge: MIT Press,
1999.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 19
PHOTOGRAPHS
Primary (north) elevation, looking south.
Context view, looking southwest from Wilshire Boulevard.
710 Wilshire Boulevard (subject property) is near center of picture to the left.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 20
th
Context view, looking north from 7 Street. 710 Wilshire Boulevard (subject property) is at right.
Primary (west) elevation, looking east.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 21
East and south elevations, looking northwest.
South and west elevations, looking northeast.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 22
Exterior details, northwest corner, looking east.
West elevation storefronts, looking east.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 23
North elevation storefronts, looking southeast.
Northwest corner store entrance, looking east.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 24
Main entrance, north elevation, looking south.
Main entrance detail.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 25
Exterior detail elements, ground floor, southwest corner, looking northeast.
Exterior detail element, ground floor, north elevation.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 26
Window details, north elevation, looking south.
Storefront transom detail, west elevation.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 27
MISCELLENOUS MATERIAL
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 28
PHOTOGRAPH
710 Wilshire Boulevard
Source: Santa Monica City Directory, 1930-1931.
710 Wilshire Boulevard
City Landmark Assessment Report
page 29
Assessor Map
http://assessormap.co.la.ca.us/mapping/gifimage.asp?val=4291007.00
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